Rare to find good representations of the Hirata school, Hirata Hikozo was one of the most famous Higo metalworkers and was the teacher to both first generation Jingo and Kanshiro. He worked under the patronage of Hosokawa Sansai who was famed for his love of tea ceremony. As such, Hikozo was highly influenced in this regard and many of his pieces reflect this aesthetic.

Hikozo often worked in the Ko-Shoami tradition and successfully managed to imprint his personality in to his works furthering the works and techniques found in Ko-Shoami and Ko-Kinko. This tsuba is a good representation of that ideal. The tsuba recalls the tradition of old yamagane tsuba but is done in a whole new technique and manner that only the Hirata could accomplish. The tsuba is made from a solid yamagne base but is carefully sandwiched between two thin layers of Shakudo on the top and bottom. The yamagane base in visible in the excellent kakumimi koninku rim and the slight raise of the inside area and seppadai.

Another important point is the way Hirata tsuba are always carefully finished, leading to the excellent feeling of the work. Tsuba is finished with flower nanako ji. Sukashi is done in sukisage bori ( literally plow down) and has well formed tagane around the seppa. All in all the verity of techniques contributes to the overall amazing feeling of transciene and the way of tea that Hizko and his patron Hosokawa sansai so prized. Fasicinating tsuba to study and perfect for any collection. Comes with NBTHK Hozon paper and custom box.